The Pittsburgh Steelers are getting ready to kick off the 2025 regular season in about a week, and much like the 2024 campaign, there are some concerning questions around the roster. Fans want to see some changes at wide receiver, but time is running out to make any significant moves. DK Metcalf is leading the way at the position after the franchise parted ways with George Pickens, and Calvin Austin III and Roman Wilson are right behind him. Fans want more reliable depth, but the organization is said to be content with what it has.
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Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Omar Khan during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
The possibilities are endless when it comes to the wide receiver position. Plenty of wideouts were released around the league earlier this week when rosters were finalized, and there are also veterans like Gabe Davis still available in free agency. Pittsburgh has already hosted him on a visit twice, but nothing has materialized. The team could also explore trading for a wide receiver, which is something that was recently proposed by Moe Moton of Bleacher Report. Moton suggested the Steelers send a 2026 fifth-round pick to the New Orleans Saints for Brandin Cooks.
"The Steelers should be one of the strongest suitors for Cooks, who would be the team's second-best wideout behind DK Metcalf," Moton wrote. "Calvin Austin III made strides as a big-play receiver last season, but quarterback Aaron Rodgers can target Cooks as his reliable chain-mover in the aerial attack. In his 12th year, Cooks would be a better fit on a playoff-contending squad, rather than a team in its early stages of a rebuild with a starting quarterback who has an uncertain short-term future."
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Former Cowboys WR Brandin Cooks (3).
A fifth-round pick for Cooks is reasonable, but it would probably be more of a lateral move for the Steelers. Over the past two seasons, Cooks has played in 26 games for the Dallas Cowboys and caught 80 passes for 916 yards and 11 touchdowns. He is one of the more underrated receivers of his generation as he has clocked six 1,000-yard seasons, but he is not the player he used to be. Pittsburgh can pull this trade off, but it is hard to imagine it would make much of a difference.
Both Austin and Wilson could be very impactful for Pittsburgh, and unless the Steelers are acquiring a receiver that is vastly different from them, a trade does not seem worth it at this time. Austin is coming off of a recent training camp injury, but seems to be close to 100 percent, and Wilson is preparing for his first legitimate NFL season after only playing five snaps in 2024. If both players can take a step forward, there may not be a need for any wide receiver additions outside of depth purposes.
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Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
Steelers Would Be Better Off Rolling With Their Younger Receivers Than Acquiring Brandin Cooks
Cooks could be good for Pittsburgh, but he is 31, and he does not have a long-term future with any team in the league. The Steelers would likely be smarter to continue on with Austin and Wilson in a larger role in the passing game, that way the organization can find out exactly what they have at the position. Austin is entering a contract year, and if he takes another step forward like he did in 2024, the franchise will have a better idea of whether or not to offer him a new deal. Wilson has not seen a target in the NFL, so having him be a focal point in the passing game can help Pittsburgh in the years to come.
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